


Songbirds in Silver and Gold

by misura



Category: Tales of the High Court - Megan Derr
Genre: Christmas Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-25 13:15:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16661723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Allen and Sarrica celebrate the Festival of Peace.





	Songbirds in Silver and Gold

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Airheart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Airheart/gifts).



Traditionally, during the Festival of Peace, people decorated a tree with gold- and silver-colored ribbons.

Sarrica supposed that he should not be surprised that Nyla had chosen to use his ribbons for a different purpose. Both his children had Nyle's looks (and how strange it was, to be able to think so without any guilt or grief) and for a while, Sarrica had believed that they might have his personality as well.

Now, more and more and unlikely as that sounded, he was beginning to see Allen in them.

Bellen would very soon outstrip her father in her knowledge of languages. Sarrica had not been displeased; he hoped to leave his children a peaceful, prosperous empire to rule, and a fluency in several of the languages spoken by its people would be a considerable asset. Allen was living proof of that.

Nyla, meanwhile - well. _A songbird,_ he had once called Allen, not intending it as a compliment.

Songbirds were pretty, but useless. Allen was the one, but not the other.

_Definitely not useless,_ Sarrica thought. _And right now, very, very pretty._ He grinned.

"Trying to set a new fashion? I like it." If nothing else, he would have liked the wry smile on Allen's face that told Sarrica Allen knew full well how ridiculous he looked, and the proud smile on Nyla's.

In front of the court, Allen still rarely showed his feelings. He had been trained to be a diplomat, a master of words and his own emotions, who always wore a polite mask, showing only what he chose to show, to manipulate people.

Every time Sarrica won a smile from him in private, or a chuckle, a laugh or even a frown, it felt like a victory. To see Allen also show his feelings to Bellen and Nyla - _we truly are a family now,_ Sarrica thought.

"I thought I might wear something green-and-red to dinner to try and blend in as a Peace Tree. It might cut down considerably on the number of people trying to steal me away for 'a quick word'."

Sarrica's grin widened. He knew full well that if Allen truly did not wish to be interrupted, he was more than capable of making this clear. Rather, Allen enjoyed giving people the feeling that they were special, that he felt listening to their problems was more important than eating.

Plus, if they went on too long, Allen always had a ready-made excuse to end the conversation.

"But then they might wonder why the High King is making eyes at a Peace Tree instead of at his conspicuously missing consort."

"Ah!" Allen sighed. "Indeed. Imagine the gossip."

"Imagine the rampant speculation on the allegiance and identity of the Peace Tree."

"All Peace Trees are from Delfaste," Allen said, absently pulling at one of the silver ribbons in his hair. "There's one region entirely dedicated to growing them. Seventeen years ago, there was a drought which killed off nearly half of the first-year trees. The price for a Peace Tree went up by nearly thirty percent that year, and it's increased a few percent every year since, even though the forests have long since recovered."

"I stand corrected," Sarrica said dryly. "The question then becomes, do I want to be seen favoring Delfaste?"

"You might, if you also intend to increase the taxes on Festival goods."

"Do I?" Sarrica asked. The days when he would sign just about anything Lesto or Myra shoved under his nose were long gone. Now, _Allen_ did the shoving, and that only in the rare cases where he lacked the authority to sign himself. It was a wonderful arrangement, leaving Sarrica with plenty of time to spend with his children or, just as often, try to pry Allen away from his work.

"If you show up for dinner with a Peace Tree by your side, I'm afraid you'd have no choice."

"Ah. In that case, perhaps I had better show up with my consort after all. Unless ... " Yes, that would do very well, Sarrica decided. Lesto wouldn't like it when he heard about it, but then, one could not please everyone.

"You planned to dress up as the Winter King?" Allen asked. "We really might start a new fashion if you do, although the city's tailors won't thank you for the short notice. Plus, with people using the ribbons for themselves, the sale of Peace Trees might take a nosedive."

"Pantheon preserve us." Sarrica shook his head. "I was actually just thinking we might skip dinner altogether."

Allen gave him a puzzled look.

"That is to say, skip the _public_ dinner," Sarrica clarified. "After all, think of what a pity it would be to undo all of Nyla's hard work."

"A lot of important and influential people are going to be there."

"More important and influential than the High King?" Sarrica sensed that Allen was wavering. "Besides, isn't the Festival of Peace supposed to be a time to spend with one's family? To me, that's you and Bellen and Nyla now, and no one else." Well, perhaps Rene and Lesto, but Rene had already made plans with Tara, and Lesto too had plans of his own.

The more Sarrica thought about it, the more the idea of a simple, cozy family dinner appealed.

"I - " Allen sighed. "I suppose that would be nice. But - "

"Shall we put it to a vote?" Sarrica proposed brightly. "Nyla, Bellen, what do you think? Would you like Allen to stay for dinner?"

Nyla's nod was immediate and enthusiastic. Bellen gave Allen a solemn look, as if she wished to contemplate the issue more thoroughly before making a decision. Then, just as Sarrica began to worry that he might end up with a tie, she nodded as well.

"You've set a dangerous precedent there, you know," Allen said.

Sarrica snorted. "As if a vote's going to change the fact that I would do anything you want. Let's face it, you've got me completely wrapped around your finger, and everyone with any wits knows it."

Allen sighed. "I suppose we can host a luncheon instead. Tell people they should spend the evening with their family. That's not a bad message to send."

"Excellent." Sarrica smiled.

Allen lifted his hand in a halting motion. "One condition."

"Name it." Sarrica hoped that it wouldn't be paperwork. Allen was far better at dealing with paperwork, and unlike Sarrica, Allen actually seemed to enjoy it.

Allen smirked, as if he was reading Sarrica's mind. "Relax. I just thought that even though your hair isn't long enough for ribbons, Nyla and Bellen might have some other ideas on how to make you look a bit more ... festive. Since it's just going to be a private dinner after all."

"I'm going to regret this, aren't I?" Sarrica said, even though he knew deep down inside that he wouldn't, not ever. "I assume that if they can't think of anything, you have some helpful suggestions of your own?"

Allen's face was the very picture of innocence.

Nyla, by contrast, looked like the Festival of Peace had come early this year.

Sarrica put on a brave smile and resigned himself to his fate. Having a true family Festival dinner to look forwards to helped.


End file.
